The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Folashade Oketope and Mohammed Kabir Usman, over the alleged illegal sale of four Federal Capital Territory (FCT) staff houses.

The defendants were brought before Justice B.M. Bassi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Jabi, Abuja, on Monday on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and corruption.

According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly conspired to unlawfully dispose of government-owned staff houses located at House Numbers 3, 4, 7 and 8, Plot 756, Abubakar Usman Crescent, Jabi District, Abuja, between 2024 and 2025.

In one of the charges, the anti-graft agency alleged that the officials, while entrusted with the management of the properties, “dishonestly misappropriated or converted” the houses to their personal use by selling them to private individuals, contrary to Sections 311 and 312 of the Penal Code Act.

The commission also accused the duo of receiving gratification to facilitate the transactions.

Specifically, the EFCC alleged that Oketope received N5 million, while Usman received N4 million from one Anthony Ezekwugo as inducement to secure the arbitrary sale of the four government houses, an act said to contravene the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Following their plea, prosecution counsel, F.S. Mohammed, urged the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendants in a correctional facility pending the hearing of the case.

Defence counsel, L. Ojinma, on the other hand, applied for bail on behalf of the accused persons.

In his ruling, Justice Bassi granted each defendant bail in the sum of N10 million with one reliable surety resident within the Federal Capital Territory.

The court directed that the sureties must provide evidence of ownership of landed property in the FCT, depose to affidavits of means and submit recent passport photographs.

Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the judge ordered that Oketope be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre, while Usman was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.

The matter was subsequently adjourned until October 21, 2026, for the commencement of trial.